Thread: Converting hard to soft top

There may be, but I doubt very much there is an Australian approved one. You would almost certainly require engineering approval. The usual approach these days seems to have been to fit a roll bar - which requires approval anyway.

John

Ok thanks.

Is approval expensive? How do you go about it?

Bit new to modifying

Cheers

All very problematical, anything regarding a deviation from the ADR (Australian Design Rules) of the particular vehicle then it's a engineering solution including all the associated drawings and tests. This is so an engineer can 'sign off' on the modification.

Now having said that, there would be a number of roll cage fabricators, especially over on the east coast who would have an engineer on their books to go over the 'rough' costs for a roll cage if there wasn't one already available.

So, probably haven't really totally answered your question but a bit of an insight into the black magic of modifications. Next stop the search button.

Hi, What would be the problem with using a fixed belt system? as on the S2?after all, they are the same vehicle essentialy, over here in NZ I regularly take the hard top off my S3 and replace the belts with a non-retractable set, using the existing holes in the bulkhead where the hard top mounts which is where the top mount for the S2 belts was fitted which as far as I can find out is basicaly a long 5/16 bolt and a heavy duty thick washer top and bottom. It's factory, not modified in any way apart from the type of belt, which if they still have the Standards tag attatched and you are using the original mounting points, there can't be much in the way of argument, can there?

Cheers, Jack

Might be feasible for the very earliest S3, but by 1989, I strongly suspect that

a) Inertia reel belts are required to meet ADRs

b) No civilian soft top 88s were sold in Australia, partly because of the problems in meeting ADRs.

But the first step would be to find an engineer who has been involved in this sort of thing (with Landrovers) and can tell you what will pass muster. I am sure someone must have done it.

The newer the vehicle the more ADRs it needs to comply with and the more problems come with even simple changes such as this.

John

OK, not as simple as first thought.

I agree with Jacknz, though, surely it can't be that bad??

Anyone know anyone that knows anyone that may have done this before?

I was under the impression that it was as simple as swapping components, since a series 3 was available in both configurations and without a roll bar either. When I had my old landcruiser you could unbolt the roof and QT said it was fine. Should be the same with a landrover, if you converted to lap belts and unbolt the roof - aren't there ex mil ones from 1979 kicking around with the soft top? Would be the same with these surely. As it is a temproary or reversible conversion, same as fitting or removing a ute roof. As it was available in both configurations should be able to swap cleanly without engineering.

At least thats what I thought.

Nothing is impossible, just requires the drive to see it too the end and add dollops of cash. The Aust. Army has roll bars fitted to their vehicles and had to still have an engineering design to their varients - LRPV (4x4, 6X6), so it has been done.

You could say that the army has the coin to spend to develop it, well I would say to that, it is done so somewhere there would be plans held. Either the army themselves or whoever the engineering company that developed the roll cage/s.